PESHAWAR, March 15: Shortage of hostels is adversely affecting the studies of the University of Peshawar students, who are compelled to stay in hotels and private hostels outside the campus, students and officials said on Saturday.

"Two months have passed since we took admission, but rooms at the hostels are yet to be allotted to us. We are staying at a hotel, which is affecting our studies," said a group of students at the Quaid-i-Azam College of Commerce and Business Administration.

According to them, they had visited the office of the provost but the rooms were occupied by old students. Assistant Provost Fazal Sher said there were 12 hostels in the university - four for girls, six for boy students and one each for the teachers and employees.

He said sites had been selected for four new hostels, 25 new rooms had been built at the Benazir Hostel and funds had been released for the construction of 20 more rooms. He said the new students would be given rooms when the final year's examinations concluded.